The Ballet Dress

Firstly, I feel that I should explain the title of this post as I can understand why one could read "the ballet dress" and look at a pic of me doing a sailor pose and be incredibly confused. Basically I only decided to name the dress after saving the pictures to my laptop and after posing like a sailor (for some unknown reason) where a ballet pose would have been rather more suitable. It's called the ballet dress because we went on a school trip to see The Nutcracker in London this week and I decided that I had to wear a long-sleeved dress (because London is COLD man!). The issue was that I didn't own anything that fitted that description, hence a new dress had to be made. 

 This dress is great because I can stuff thermals under it and wear it with thick tights and boots and a coat etc and I'll be all warm and cosy. Until I step outside. But anyway... The pattern I used was Vogue's basic design 1923 which was very generously gifted to me along with a huge pile of other patterns and fabric by a friends Mum. Actually, this fabric was part of that pile too. Thank you Irenee! The changes I made were to shorten the length and chop away the neckline. This then had to be gathered because it was gaping everywhere.

http://img1.etsystatic.com/000/0/5554023/il_340x270.302167429.jpg

The back was supposed to be buttoned but I just folded over the placket on the back bodice piece, cut it out and put a zip in it instead. Well, I did in theory. You see I cut the front pattern piece not on the fold so as it was pretty similar to the back bodice piece anyway I just used that instead and cut another front bodice piece (on the fold this time). And you can't even see the zip! The sleeves are a tad too short so I'll decrease the seam allowance next time.

sorry that my undertop is showing through!

The hem and neckline I finished off with extra-wide white bias binding on the bus. I only got a few stares...

I really like this dress and know I will wear it loads. It will hopefully look good with a petticoat underneath, although I am yet to try that. However next time I might do a gathered skirt to matched the gathered bodice as I'm not sure I like the unsymmetricality of it.

That's all I have to say for now!

Thanks so much for reading and to Dad for sacrificing his fingers to the cold so he could take pictures!

Lauren xx